Be Strong
by RedWolf210
Summary: Title may change. Sasuke Hinata. An incident happens in the Hidden Leaf, and it leads these two broken hearts to each other. Will they come together or shatter even more?
1. Chapter 1

The people of Konoha were gathering at the front of the Hokage building, all of them in black. Once everyone was there, the funeral began. After several speeches were spoken, a woman with long golden brown hair walked up to the table and placed down her flower before the two photographs. She smiled weakly at the picture of the Sixth Hokage, her successor, Naruto Uzumaki. She remembered when she had first met him, back when he and his master at the time, Jiriya [A?N: I know that his name is spelled wrong], were sent out to get her as the Fifth Hokage. Naruto had a lot of guts, hope, and dreams. She knew that one was achieved for sure, his success of becoming Hokage. That boy had reminded her of her little brother, and she got the chance to see him grow up when her little brother didn't get the chance.

His smile was large, and his cerulean eyes sparkled in the picture. The Hokage cap was on his head, his blond spikes of hair peeked out from underneath just a little bit. The woman smiled at the photo, remembering the young man very well. "You did great Naruto," she said.

She then looked at the picture beside the Hokage's, and it showed a beautiful young woman who was about the same age as Naruto, but with shoulder length pink hair and jade green eyes. The mourner nodded to the picture of the pink haired woman, and she whispered, "You did your best, Sakura." Sakura was her apprentice, and she was like a daughter to her. She remembered the determination in the pink haired girl's eyes when she asked her to train her under the ways of a medical ninja. Tears stung her eyes, and a tear fell from her eye. She had to step away and let the other mourners proceed.

A young man, around the age of fifteen, walked up to the table and placed his flower along with the other youths of the village. The boy stared at the picture of the Sixth Hokage, and his eyes brimmed with tears. He remembered when he was in the Academy, and Naruto was a Genin, that he used to challenge and look up to him. He was so inspired by Naruto that he, too, dreamt of becoming Hokage. "I will become Hokage, you'll see," the boy whispered. He walked away for the others.

A man with tall silver hair that was spiked to the side walked over to the table and placed his own flower down. He stared at the two pictures, remembering them as Genin and in his squad still. He remembered the survival test he gave them, and then the missions they went through together, watching them grow. When their third teammate, Sasuke, had gone to Orochimaru, Naruto and Sakura had worked so hard to get strong enough to bring him back. He remembered their determination for the mission, and he respected that. They were all like a small family, protecting and supporting each other. A grim smile came to his lips, though nobody would see it under his mask. He murmured, "Both of you, rest in peace." He stepped down for the others.

A young blond woman walked up to the table and placed her flower on the black covers. She smiled weakly at the picture of Sakura. They were best friends since the Academy, and when their crush got in the middle of their relationship, the two had become friendly rivals. She remembered well how they raced through the streets to get to class, and how they mocked the other with nicknames. No one really understood how they could be so rude to each other and yet still support the other, but that was what made their friendship so special – no matter what, they still remained friends. The young woman wiped a tear from her eye and walked away to a man with his black hair in a ponytail. He hugged her tightly and watched the others proceed.

A man with his brown hair in a bushy ponytail walked up to the table. He stared at the two photos and remembered the two as Academy students in his class. He remembered Sakura's smarts and manners, and then he remembered Naruto's rambunctious attitude. Naruto may have failed so many times and was one who would normally be a pain in the neck he had grown quite fond of the boy. When the Chunin Exams were taken in their village, he was proud to see Naruto and Sakura as well as Sasuke pass the second test of survival. Time had gone by so fast, and now here he was, at their funeral. The idea of them dying so young made a tear fall again. He turned and walked away fro the next person.

Another young woman walked up to the table, but she had long bluish-black hair. Everyone watched her carefully as she stopped in front of the picture of the Sixth Hokage and stared at it. She placed her own blossom down between the two pictures on top of the other flowers. She remembered Naruto and his unique aura that would made even a stranger smile in his presence. His smile and attitude was so charming; remembering such things made her smile. She had admired Naruto for his determination to become the most successful ninja in Konoha and take place as the Hokage. He had actually inspired her to do the same and get better as a ninja, working hard for her father's approval. The young woman recalled how kind he was to her, how much he cared for her, how much he loved her. A lone tear fell from her eye, and more were soon to come. She looked over at the photo of Sakura and nodded in thanks. _You put your life on the line for him_, she thought, _and for that I give you my thanks and hopes that you will rest in peace._ She took one last look at the picture of Naruto smiling, and then she left the table.

The last person to go up was a young man with bluish-black hair that was spiked in the back. He paused by the table and set his flower down, and he stared at the pictures. He remembered the times they spent as Team Seven with their sensei, Kakashi. He remembered their Academy days where he and Naruto were from such different backgrounds, but they ended up being similar later on in life. He remembered how Sakura was a crazed fan girl and how she always wanted him to notice her as a great kunoichi. After he left for Orochimaru and met them again years later, he saw how strong both of them had become. Later on, he returned to the Hidden Leaf, and they all caught up with each other. The young man remembered how he had started falling for his old teammate, Sakura Haruno. He had started dating her, and eventually he took it a step higher, asking for her hand in marriage. She gladly accepted, and he was happy that time. Now, here were his two closest friends, no longer in this world, leaving him behind. He stared at the picture of Sakura with such sadness, and then he left the table.

The funeral was soon over, and the villagers started filing out of the area, heading back home. People murmured to each other, not talking loud or normal like any other day. The young woman with bluish-black hair waited while everyone left, her white eyes still staring at the table of flowers. A young man with spiky brown hair walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, and he smiled a little. "I'm sorry about Naruto, Hinata-chan," he said.

She nodded, "Thank you, Kiba-kun." He walked away with the crowd, and she stared after him. The blond young woman stopped by her as well. "Yes, Ino-chan?" she asked.

"Do you want to come with me to get some tea and dumplings?" the woman asked.

"Sure." The two ladies walked beside one another. Hinata looked over across the now empty area and saw a lone figure standing by a tree. She frowned, and Ino followed her gaze. "That is Sasuke-kun over there, right?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah," Ino replied, "Poor guy; he and Sakura were only married for two years."

"Should we ask him to come with us?" Hinata really hated to see someone so sad take the fact that his loved ones were no longer alive by themselves. On the other hand, she didn't know what she could do to console someone like Sasuke Uchiha.

Ino thought about Hinata's question for a minute, and then she answered, "I don't really see any harm in asking." She smiled at her friend, and the two of them walked over to the young man.

Sasuke noticed Ino and Hinata walk over toward him, and he looked at them, indicating that he indeed sees them. Ino and Hinata stopped before him, and Ino smiled. "Sasuke-kun," she said, "Hinata and I were wondering if you would like to come with us for some tea and such. What do you think?" The Uchiha stared at Ino's smile, and then he looked at Hinata's innocent smile.

"It would be best if you come," Hinata added shyly. "Such an occasion shouldn't be taken alone."

Sasuke was silent, thinking about his answer. Then he replied, "I'll go…"

Hinata smiled. "Great, let's go then." Ino nodded, and all three walked away toward the closest sweetshop.

***

The three were drinking their tea in silence. Hinata quietly ate a dumpling while Ino did the same. Sasuke silently stared into his cup of tea. He never uttered a word at the table while Hinata and Ino had very simple conversations: how their day was, what their plans were for the week, what their mission frequency was, and more.

"I wonder who the Hokage will be now." Ino pondered idly as she stirred her tea. Her words made Hinata pause in her eating, and Ino noticed. She was about to say an apology when Hinata resumed eating.

"I'm thinking that Kakashi should be Hokage," she said after she swallowed her food. "Do you agree, Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha didn't reply, only paying attention to his tea. Hinata made a small frown, but she excused him. She turned her gaze to Ino.

"I think that would be great," she answered. She looked at her watch. "Oh, my shift at the hospital is going to start in ten minutes; I better head over there to be on time.

"Alright, have a nice day Ino-chan," Hinata said.

"You too Hinata-chan," Ino said. "See you later, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke simply nodded. Ino still took it with a smile, and then she paid their bill and left. Once Ino left, Hinata finished her dumpling and stood up. "I should probably head home now…I'll see you later, Sasuke-kun." She walked away from the table.

The Uchiha noted her slow footsteps and slightly hunched figure. It seemed that the news was starting to fully affect her. When she disappeared around the corner, Sasuke sighed and stood up. He left the shop and headed to his house.

*~*The Next Day*~*

Hinata was slowly walking through the village. She watched people walk by her, children playing in front of the Academy. Memories came back to her, and she started to walk away from them and toward the training fields. On her way there, she saw couples holding hands, looking at each other with the look that said that they had found the one for them. Hinata sped up and tried ignoring their faces. All of these things were reminding her about her relationship with Naruto. She caught her breath at Ichiraku Ramen Shop, and she could not escape the memories there.

She saw her and Naruto sitting there, eating some of the famous ramen:

"_Hey Hinata-chan," Naruto said._

"_Hm, what is it Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked. She turned her head to look at him, and he had a noodle hanging over his pursed lips in a long mustache._

"_Look how this noodle mustache makes me look wiser! Hahaha!"_

_Hinata couldn't help but giggle at his joke. Naruto smiled and slurped up the noodle. He returned to his food, and after a minute Hinata tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up to see Hinata with a noodle mustache too. "What do you think?" she asked._

"_Very stylish," he commented. "Though I pull it off better, hehe." He grinned, and she smiled back._

Quickly, Hinata walked away from the shop. She continued to wander around the village, avoiding and running from the memories of Naruto and herself.

***

The sun was setting, and Sasuke was walking through the training fields, heading home after a day's work of target and combat practice. He wiped his forehead as he walked, brushing off the sweat and dirt on his face. The Uchiha paused at the sound of sobbing. He slowly turned his head to the right and saw movement behind a tree. Sasuke quietly stepped over toward the tree, and when he moved to where the tree was no longer blocking his view, he saw Hinata. She was sitting on the grass, her back against the tree and her face hidden in her hands. Sasuke frowned at the sight, and then he cautiously approached the Hyuuga and knelt in front of her.

"Hinata," he said, "what happened?"

The young woman suppressed her sobs and peeked from behind her hands. Her hands lowered, and her eyes were surprised. "S-Sasuke-kun? What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, but since you asked first I was training just over there," he pointed to where he walked in, "and I was heading back home when I saw you. What are you doing here?"

She sniffled, "I…I was trying to…run away…"

"Run away? From what?"

"…M-my memories…I kept seeing Naruto-kun and…I couldn't take it…" Hinata resumed crying. "I miss him, Sasuke-kun. I wish he didn't die."

Sasuke sighed. "I wish that he didn't either, Hinata, but it happens. He died saving our village, remember that." He looked at her directly in the eyes. "I'm sorry to say it, but he's dead, Hinata. He isn't going to come back to life. The only way he remains the least bit alive is through your memories. He wouldn't want you to forget him, and he wouldn't want you sad. Respect his sacrifice; live a good life for him."

"He proposed to me!" she yelled. Then her tone went down to a whisper. "I love him, and I was going to live a good life…with him, Sasuke, I can't do anything without him." She hugged herself and cried, but then she felt a hand hold her chin and lift her head up. She now stared into Sasuke's deep, dark onyx eyes.

"I know what it feels like to lose someone you love," he said lowly. "I miss her so much, but she, as well as Naruto, would want us to live on. Naruto loves you, and he put his life on the line to _protect_ you. Sakura did the same thing for me, for Naruto, for you. We shouldn't sulk over their death and turn ourselves into an emotional wreck. Be strong, Hinata. You can live a good life without Naruto, and I am not meaning this like you should forget him. Remember him, keep him close, but don't shut yourself out to life. I already did that once, and I'm not going to do that again.

"Take it from me: don't live your life down. Continue your life, okay?"

Hinata nodded slowly, and then she wiped her eyes with her jacket sleeve. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun," she said.

Sasuke nodded. "Now, it's getting late. I'll walk you home." He stood up and offered her a hand. She smiled weakly and took it, and he pulled up on her feet. The two began to walk toward the Hyuuga compound in silence. Hinata stole glances at Sasuke, and he didn't seem to notice.

_Sasuke-kun_, Hinata thought. _You must be lonelier than ever…you lost your entire clan, and then you lose your wife and best friend. I have only lost a boyfriend, yet I feel so empty, so horrible…you must feel terribly lonely and sad. How can you be so strong to take all these blows and still remain sane?_

They stopped at the main doors to the Hyuuga compound. Sasuke looked at Hinata. "Well, here's your stop," he said.

Hinata nodded and bowed. "Thank you for taking me home, Sasuke-kun," she said.

"You're welcome." He watched as she opened the door and walked inside. The young woman turned to take one last look at the Uchiha, and then she closed the door. Sasuke sighed and walked away from the doors, back to his own home.

***

Sasuke turned off the shower and reached for his towel. He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. He walked into his bedroom and got dressed into grey sweatpants and a black T-shirt. Sasuke then sat on his half of the bed and stared at the other half. The young man sighed and lied down and stared at the ceiling.

_Naruto, Sakura…you both chose a crazy time to leave like that. Let's hope that Hinata…that I…can handle your deaths. Naruto -- I don't know if you can, but still -- try reassuring Hinata that she'll be fine._

The Uchiha closed his eyes, and an image of Sakura came into focus. She was smiling her sweet smile, and her radiance was so warm that Sasuke smiled to himself. The young woman's green eyes sparkled like emeralds that were reflecting firelight. Her hand came up to her lips, and she blew him a kiss. Her smile became a small frown.

"_Please forgive me_," she said as her image started to fade away.

"I do," Sasuke replied.

Sakura smiled again, and that made him feel better. "_Thank you_…" She then disappeared into the darkness.

A small tear fell from the corner of Sasuke's eye, and it rolled slowly down his face. "Good-bye…Sakura…"

* * *

That's all for the first chapter. Please review. Chapter 2 commin soon.

~RedWolf210


	2. Chapter 2

*~*Two Days Later*~*

A knock came at Hinata's bedroom door, and she got out of bed and walked over to the door. When she opened it, she saw her cousin, Neji Hyuuga. He was a year older than Hinata, who was twenty-five, and had long brown hair tied together at the bottom to single strands and such did not bother him and his field of vision. His white eyes, which ran with the Hyuuga clan, stared at her with seriousness, but she also noticed something else…a hint of pity? "Yes, Neji-nii-chan?" Hinata asked.

"Your father wishes to see you," Neji replied.

"…Hai." The young man stepped aside, and she walked past him and down the hallway toward the main room where her father, Hiashi Hyuuga usually spent his mornings. As usual, her father was sitting on his mat, staring out into the courtyard where Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi Hyuuga, was practicing her technique of the Gentle Fist – one of the special fighting styles and secrets of their clan. Hinata quietly took a seat on a mat beside him and watched her sister train. "You called for me, Father?" she asked.

Hiashi gave her a stiff nod. "Hinata, you have been locked up in your room for two days," he said.

"I'm sorry Father, but I did not feel like going out those days."

"Is it still because of the incident?"

Her father's choice of words was slightly less painful, but it still hurt that he would mention it so bluntly. Hinata winced at the word "incident". She then gave her father a small nod. The man sighed, more of expelling anger within himself more than air.

"Daughter, it is unhealthy to think of the past; forget it. You are going to be the head of the Hyuuga clan soon, and you need to have a clear head for when you take my place."

"Is that all I was brought out here to hear?" Her tone had turned from quiet to angry. Hiashi looked at Hinata, and he was taken by surprise to see her glaring at him. "Did you only want to speak to me just to tell me to forget a _tragedy_?! Naruto was our Hokage, no one would forget that! I loved him, and he loved me. He dies to protect our village, and you want to tell me to suck it up and go on? Well, Father, I cannot do so. He proposed to me Father, remember that?!"

"Something that I did not approve of."

"So? The thought counted, and I still said yes."

"I would've removed you as heiress of the Hyuuga clan if you got married to him," Hiashi said, trying to keep the argument under his control. Either way, the commotion had attracted Hanabi's attention, and she paused her training to watch. Both Hiashi and Hinata did not notice her gaze or Neji's, for they were staring directly at each other.

"I wouldn't have cared," Hinata said.

Her answer shocked her father, and his stare turned hard and ferocious. "So," he growled, "you do not care whether or not you lead our clan, the strongest, most influential clan in Konohagakure?! Do you _want_ to be disowned?! You would like that, wouldn't you? All the pressure and stares that you cannot take will be lifted off your shoulders if you gave up and crawled away like a pathetic failure, is that what you think? Well, you're **wrong**." Hinata immediately lost her fire that kept her going on with the argument, and she just stared in horror of his words. Hiashi continued anyway.

"If you were to step down as heiress, people would still stare at you, talk behind your back, but only the subject will change. They will not see you as a powerful Hyuuga…no…They will see you as a coward!"

Neji decided to step in when he saw Hinata look away, her eyes brimming with tears. "Lord Hiashi," he said coolly.

The man looked at him, and his expression of anger and impatience subsided. It went back to its composed form, and he replied, "What is it?"

"Someone has requested to see you at the front gates of the compound."

"Hm." He stood up and took one last glance at Hinata, and then he left the room. Hinata wiped her eyes, and she stood up. She walked across the main room, heading to the front gates as well.

She paused by Neji and said, "Thank you. I will be outside for the time being, so if my father asks, let him know."

"Hai, Hinata-sama," Neji said. He gave her a small bow, and she bowed in return and walked away.

"That was kinda scary," commented Hanabi. Neji looked in her direction, and when he did she added, "Hinata never yells like that."

Neji sighed. "That is true, Hanabi-sama, but she will yell if you hurt her too much." With that the young man walked away, and Hanabi shrugged and resumed her taijutsu training.

* * *

Sasuke was taking a break from his training, sitting in the shade of a tall tree and hiding from the heat of the sun's rays. He noticed Hinata walking by the shops across from where he sat, and then he saw Ino run up to her. The Uchiha watched the two talking for sometime, and Hinata shook her head no. Puzzled by her response, he looked at Ino, who smiled a little and nodded in understanding. She walked away from the Hyuuga, and Hinata stared after her.

_I wonder what they were talking about_, Sasuke thought. He looked at Hinata again, and she was staring at him. She smiled a little and started walking over to him. Sasuke just waited in the shade for her to reach him.

Once she did, Hinata asked, "Mind if I sit next to you?"

"It's fine," Sasuke replied.

Hinata smiled and sat down next to him. She then noticed some ninja tools lying on his other side. "You were training?"

"Yeah." He noticed how she was staring at the grass, like she was thinking about something that she should tell him. Curious, Sasuke asked, "What is it?"

"Um…I was wondering…do you train…to keep your mind off of…certain things?" She frowned at her question.

Sasuke understood what she meant, and he answered, "Sometimes."

"Ok."

"So, what was Ino asking you over there?"

"She was asking if I wanted to go with her to the mall, and whenever she says that she doesn't only look at clothes. I declined her offer."

"Hn, I see…"

Silence filled the time gap between them. Both of them thought of something to say, to discuss without worry. Hinata thought of herself bad at small talk, and Sasuke thought that he, too, was bad at starting conversations. The quiet stretched on, and no one had decided to break it just yet.

Though, there was a strange sense of comfort between the two. Both of them knew why the other was sad and such, so they just kept each other company. The silence didn't really bother them – they were outdoors, where birds and animals could keep the silence from overwhelming them. It seemed that they did not even need to talk at all, for just their presence seemed to keep them calm and prevent them from thinking about their lost loved one too much. It started to turn later in the day, around two in the afternoon. Sasuke decided to break the silence and ask a question.

"Aren't you needed in your clan home? Surely they would be searching for you by now."

Hinata stared at the grass. "I do not plan to go back to my house anytime soon," she said.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"I do not wish to see my father right now." She looked completely away from Sasuke, and he seemed to have gotten the message. Her shoulders slumped, and she stroked a flower that grew beside her very delicately. The Uchiha watched her do so, thinking that she was going to pick it, but when she didn't he stared up at the sky.

Time passed by again, and once the invisible clock ticked ten minutes by Sasuke asked, "Do you want to go get something to eat?"

Hinata was taken off guard by his question, but she then answered, "Sure." The two stood up and started walking back to the shops, looking for a place they can agree on eating at. Hinata easily agreed to a restaurant that Sasuke suggested, and they walked inside and sat down at a table.

A waitress walked up to their table and smiled at them. "Hello, would you like to order any drinks?" she asked.

"I'll have some jasmine tea," Sasuke said.

He looked at Hinata, and she said, "I'd like a glass of water please."

"Alright." The waitress walked away, and after a few minutes she returned to their table and set down a cup of steaming tea and a tall glass of ice water. Both the Uchiha and Hyuuga thanked the woman, and she smiled and walked away after handing them their menus. When the waitress returned, Sasuke and Hinata ordered their food, and she was on her way again.

"You did realize that the waitress was staring at you, right?" Hinata asked Sasuke.

"Yeah, I noticed," Sasuke replied, "but I've become a professional at ignoring those kinds of stares."

"I see."

They quietly waited for their food. Sasuke, after a few minutes of silence, asked, "How long do you plan on staying away from your house?"

"Well, I want to stay away the rest of the day, even through the night." She then sighed, "But I don't really have anywhere to go without Father knowing of the location. He knows every hotel and inn I enjoy staying at."

Sasuke thought about that for a moment. Then he said, "You could stay at my house."

Hinata stared at him with disbelief. "A-are you sure?"

"I know that you don't want to deal with your father, so yes, you can stay at my house tonight."

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." The waitress arrived at the table with two plates and set them down in front of each of the two. Hinata thanked the woman, and Sasuke nodded. The waitress smiled at the Hyuuga, but she gave the Uchiha a genuine smile. Sasuke ignored the woman, and she quietly left the table, secretly disappointed.

After they finished eating, both of them walked out of the restaurant and started walking to the training field to get Sasuke's things from training. Once they gathered those things they started walking toward the Uchiha estate. The way was walked in silence, and no one decided to break it. They soon arrived at Sasuke's house, and he unlocked the door and held it open for Hinata. Again, she thanked him and walked inside. He nodded and followed her inside.

Hinata yawned and looked at the clock, which displayed the time as 7:30pm. She thought that it seemed too early to sleep, but her body seemed to be completely drained of energy. She felt exhausted, and then ignoring it no more she turned to Sasuke and asked, "Where do I sleep?"

"Oh…you can sleep in this room." He walked down the hallway, and she followed slowly. He noticed her trudging feet and stopped at the first door in the hallway. He opened it and held it for her. Hinata smiled and walked inside the bedroom. She found it quite nice – the bed sheets were a pale blue, and the walls were light beige with white trim. She walked over to the bed and stroked the covers. Then she turned her head to face Sasuke.

"Thanks again," she said.

"Mm-hm," Sasuke replied. "Good night."

"Good night." Sasuke left the room, and Hinata sighed after he closed the door. She pulled the covers aside, got into bed and pulled them over herself. She then closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep.

Sasuke was sitting in the living room, thinking over what was happening: Hinata's father must've mentioned Naruto, but is Hinata only staying here to avoid Hiashi for only that reason? The thought of Hinata becoming furious and storming out of a room did not fit what the Uchiha thought of her already. She was a really kind, gentle young woman, not to mention shy. If she were to be mad, let alone furious, with someone, they would have to have been such a jerk. Sasuke sighed and decided to try asking Neji later. He stood up and walked down the hallway to his room. The Uchiha took a quick shower and got into his pajamas. He crawled into bed and covered himself with his blankets, and then he closed his eyes, letting his mind drift off into sleep.

*~* The Next day*~*

Sasuke woke up to the sounds of someone cooking in the kitchen. Slightly puzzled, the Uchiha got out of bed and walked up the hallway and into the kitchen. He saw Hinata cooking breakfast, adding some ingredients into a pan. She stirred and let that simmer, and then she turned around to see Sasuke. She bowed her head. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun," she said.

The young man took the scene in. "How come you're cooking?" he asked.

"Well, you let me stay the night here, so I decided to repay you by cooking some breakfast." She grabbed a plate, turned back to the pan on the stove and put the food onto the plate. She walked over to the table and set it down, and then she went back to the stove and resumed cooking for herself. Hinata glanced over her shoulder and said, "Your plate is already on the table."

"Thanks." Sasuke walked over to the dining table and sat down. He picked up the fork and started to eat. After he swallowed his first bite, he commented, "This is really good Hinata."

The young woman looked at him and smiled. "Thank you."

"Mm-hm." The Uchiha continued to eat the breakfast that Hinata prepared, and the Hyuuga resumed cooking her own. Once she finished hers, she grabbed the plate and sat down across from Sasuke and started to eat quietly. After they both finished their breakfast, Hinata started to collect the dishes. Sasuke took his own plate when she reached for it. "I got my plate, Hinata. You don't need to do all the housework."

His comment made her smile, and she nodded. She set her plate into the sink, and Sasuke did the same thing. Then she asked him, "What do we do now?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm thinking that someone is looking for you. Do you want to return to your house now?"

"I don't know…" Hinata thought about that for a minute. Then she answered, "I might as well go home later today so I don't get into too much trouble."

"Alright. So are you going to hang out with Ino today?"

"I guess so." She started out of the Uchiha's house. "I'll see you later then."

"Okay, see you later Hinata," Sasuke said. The Hyuuga smiled and left the house. She walked into the streets and eventually found Ino.

"Hinata!" Ino said. She hugged her friend. "Hey, where were you? Neji was looking for you, and he sounded rather worried from his usual tone."

Hinata stared at the blond. "Neji-nii-san is looking for me?" she asked.

"Yeah! You better go see him now before we do anything."

"Right." Hinata walked away from her friend and started heading for the Hyuuga compound. She was about to open the gate when Neji stepped out of the estate. He saw Hinata, and his eyes widened.

"Lady Hinata," Neji said. "Where have you been?! Your father has been worried about you."

"Sorry Neji-nii-san," Hinata said. _I highly doubt that Father was that worried about me after that argument. He's probably just acting for the sake of the heiress._ She inwardly scoffed at Hiashi's tough love technique. She then told Neji, "Well, can you tell him that I am unharmed and will be spending the day with Ino-chan?"

Neji knew that Hinata did not wish to see her father, for he could see it in her eyes. He nodded and gave Hinata a bow. "As you wish Hinata-sama," he answered. The young man turned around and walked back into the compound. Hinata waited to hear the sound of the gate being completely shut before running off to where she had left Ino.

"So," Ino said as they walked over to the mall. "Where were you yesterday? Neji looked shocked that you were gone an entire day."

"I was wandering around the village," Hinata answered.

"Where did you stay for the night?"

The Hyuuga hesitated before answering. "At…Sasuke-kun's house…" She glanced at her friend to see if she was staring at her with her jaws open. She was.

"You stayed at _Sasuke's_ house?" she asked, clearly not believing it.

"Hai…I met him at the training field, and he offered to let me stay at his place for the night." Ino shushed her once they were in the mall and pulled her by the arm.

"Girl, you got explaining to do."

* * *

That's all for now! Hope you're liking this story so far. Review please! Thanks! :)

~RedWolf210


	3. Chapter 3

Man I am so happy to see that many people are reading my fanfics. This one to be more specific. THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME TO LOOK AT THIS FANFIC. I would be more apprecitive if you all made a lot of reviews as you do read these stories. Well, enough of my growing rant, here's Chapter 3.

* * *

After the mall trip was done, Ino said her goodbye to Hinata since she had a mission to do. Hinata decided to walk with her, and Ino didn't mind that at all. They arrived at the front gates of Konoha, and Ino waited for her teammates for the mission. As they waited, two figures started to head over to them. When the two finally stopped before them, Hinata smiled to see her two friends Kiba and Shino.

Kiba grinned at the Hyuuga. "Hinata! Long time, no see!" he said. He scooped her up and gave her a bear hug. Hinata laughed and was set down.

"So you two were on a mission the whole time?" she asked. "I was looking for you guys."

"Aw, sorry about that Hinata. Yeah, we went on the mission right after the funeral." His frown at the word "funeral" was suddenly replaced with a grin. "We can make it up to you though. What do you wanna do?"

Hinata smiled at Kiba, and then she looked at Shino, whose expression was calm like always. If only she could see his eyes she would be able to see what he was feeling. She then said, "Well, you two should get unpacked and cleaned up if you want. I'll meet you guys somewhere."

"Where would you like to meet us?" Shino asked.

Kiba suggested, "How about the sweet shop?"

"I already went there earlier today," Hinata said. "How about…Ichiraku Ramen?"

Both Kiba and Shino stared at their old teammate and best friend, surprised. After a moment of silence, Kiba asked rather worriedly, "A-are you sure Hinata?"

"Yeah, I'm fine guys. Well, I'll meet you two there then."

"Okay…"

Hinata smiled, said her good-bye to Ino, and started walking away from them. Kiba and Shino took a glance at one another, and then they greeted Ino quickly and headed back to their homes to get their backpacks off and wash up before meeting their friend Hinata at the ramen shop.

* * *

"Hinata seems to be dealing with Naruto's death rather well," Kiba murmured as he and Shino walked through the streets of Konoha.

"Don't be too sure about it," Shino said. "She looked rather troubled."

"Well, she might have gotten into an argument with Hiashi again."

Shino nodded. "I agree." They soon arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, and they saw Hinata waiting for them. She smiled at them like usual, and then she entered the shop. Shino and Kiba followed her and sat down to where Hinata was in the middle.

"So," Kiba said. "Did you get bored while we were gone?"

"Pretty much," Hinata answered. They ordered their food and waited to be served. She stared at her glass of water that was given to them in the meantime. Kiba and Shino looked at each other, and then Kiba nodded.

"Is it about your father?" he asked carefully.

Hinata jumped at the question, but then she nodded slowly and carefully. Kiba nodded back. Shino then asked, "How bad was it this time?"

"He brought up Naruto-kun…"

"Ouch," muttered Kiba. "What did you say? You did say something right?"

"Yes Kiba-kun," Hinata said. "I yelled at him and we got into a fight."

"Who won?"

"He did. He told me about how he would've abandoned me if I married Naruto and how I would be mocked if I were to step down as heiress."

There was silence for a minute, but then the Hyuuga heard Kiba growl. "The man has got the nerve to say that to his own daughter. He needs to have some sense smacked into him." He looked at his two teammates and got what they were about to say. "I know we can't do that, but someone should one of these times." Their food arrived, and the three began to eat.

"So," Shino asked, "How long are you planning to avoid Hiashi?"

"I can't avoid him for long…" Hinata stared at her steaming bowl of ramen. "I'll probably have to return today since I have been gone for an entire day already."

"Really?" Kiba said. "How did you not get caught?"

"I stayed somewhere where he wouldn't think I'd be."

"And that is…?"

"Sasuke-kun's house."

Kiba's voice was lost and his jaw dropped. Shino, on the other hand, remained calm. "Sasuke Uchiha's house?" he said.

"Hai Shino-san."

"How did you get him to let you stay?" Kiba asked when he regained his voice.

Hinata frowned at him. "He's not that rude Kiba. He was the one who offered for me to stay at his house for the night."

"Everyone has a nicer side of them," Shino added.

"Honestly I think Sakura was the one who helped him calm down and such," Kiba said while he slurped his soup.

"I agree," Hinata said, "but you could've said that in a nicer tone Kiba-kun." The Hyuuga ate a bit more of her ramen while the other two ate in silence. "So what are you guys planning on doing today?" she asked.

Kiba shrugged. "I don't know," he answered. "Hey, how long has it been since you trained, Hinata?"

"Oh…it's been a while."

"Then we should go do that." He grinned, and Hinata had to smile back at him. She, Kiba and Shino finished eating their food, paid their bill, and then they left the ramen shop and started for the training field.

* * *

Kakashi was walking into a field where the Leaf Village had put in a Memorial Stone in honor of all the ninja within their village that was K.I.A, killed in action. As soon as he entered the field he saw someone already there. When he walked closer he recognized the person as one of his former pupils, Sasuke Uchiha. The young man was staring at the Memorial Stone, staring at the names that Kakashi also wished to see. Sasuke did not respond when Kakashi made his presence obvious by stepping onto the stone floor rather louder than necessary. Kakashi then looked at all the names that were carved into the stone. There were the names of his own teammates, Obito and Rin, and the name of his sensei, Minato Uzumaki. There was the four Hokages and many others added to the list. Now, two more familiar names were carved into the stone: Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Uchiha. Kakashi finally spoke, "You didn't come to the name carving, Sasuke?"

"I did, but only for a little while," Sasuke replied. As soon as he saw that the carving was completed, he had left the ceremony and went to a nearby training field to satisfy his anger. After that was done he had returned when everyone was gone and paid his respects to his teammates.

The silver haired man nodded. "I see." He glanced at his comrade and took a look at his face. The young man's face was emotionless as usual, but his mouth seemed to be in more of a scowl, looking at his teammates' names in disappointment.

"How did they die?" The question took Kakashi by surprise. He looked at the Uchiha again before answering.

"Remember how Naruto had to go meet with the other kages to discuss something? You weren't here since you were on a mission, and we were already short on Jonin to escort him. Naruto assured us that all he needed was Sakura, and we believed him."

Sasuke nodded and continued to listen. He wanted to know who killed his friends, and he knew that Kakashi knew the details. Kakashi continued his story.

"While they were on the way there they were ambushed by some organization. They called themselves the Cold Blood Gang. They were against the decision that the Hokage was going to make about the subject the kages were discussing, and if they killed a kage the others would be in a frenzy. Sakura had taken out most of them, but one happened to have some kekke-genkai that we do not know of and finished her.

"Naruto had fought the gifted shinobi and was killed doing so. When Konoha found out that Naruto didn't make it to the meeting, all the help we had at hand were sent out to find them. As you see we did, but not as we hoped we would. Our medics on the retrieval team had done their best, but Naruto and Sakura were dead too long to be revived."

He looked at Sasuke to see him nod. Kakashi frowned under his mask. When the Uchiha started walking away, he warned him, "Don't go off with vengeance in your head Sasuke. It will be a mistake." He watched Sasuke pause in his steps and glance back at him, and he was taken off guard by the sorrow in the Uchiha's onyx eyes.

"I know, Kaka-sensei," he said quietly. The young man then turned around and continued to walk away. Kakashi lingered behind to pay his team and Hokages as well as friends respect, and then he, too, left the Memorial Stone. Just as the two left, a healthy leaf fell from the tree and landed before the Stone, and it was struck by a rain drop, heaven's tear, and more began to follow.

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Well that's all for now. Hope you guys liked it. Review please! Much appreciated.

~RedWolf210


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